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2
3    Seynt Powle, þe chefe doctoure of holychurche,
4brennynge hyȝly in þe loue of almyȝthy God and of is
5neyȝbore, wroȝthe all þe dayes of is life aftur þat he was
6turned to þe lawe of Criste to þe edificacion of þe churche,
7wrytynge on too wyze, gretely commendynge þe peple
8þat vertuosly lyvyd, and þonked God þerof, and repreved
9þoȝ peple þat fell to synne aȝeyn withe sharpenes modified
10by resone. Who-so redeþ is pistels shall knowe well þat
11it is so. And so he wryteþ and techeþ in is pistell of
12þis daye, preysynge God for þe god liffe of a peple of
13Grece called Corynthi , seynge on þis wyze: "I do
14þonkes to my God for you."
15    By þis he ȝeveþ ensampull to vs þat we oure-selfe
16shuld þanke God for oure goodes þat we receued of God,
17seþ þat he þonked God so hertely for is euencristen. But
18in what wyze þat we shall þonke God and prey to him,
19Criste hym-selfe techeþ vs in þe gospell, a preyour þat
20is chefe of all preyours, þe wiche is þe Pater Noster.
21Þis prayoure passeþ all oþur in worthynesse, for God
22hym-selfe made itt; also in goodenesse, for all þat vs
23nedeþ to preye is had þer-in; also in avantage, for
24Criste, þat all can, ordeyn itt. By þis preyour, þan,
25late ichon of vs þonke and preye God as Crist and Seynt
26Poule techeþ vs.
27    In þe begynnynge, et cetera.
28    "Gracias ago," et cetera.
29    Good men and wymmen, oure Lorde Ihesu tauȝth is
30disciples, as þe gospell wittenesseþ, Mathei 6^to, Luce 11^mo,
31þis preyoure of þe Pater Noster, by þe wiche þat euery
32man shuld preye to God when þat þei preyed, as Poule
33dude by þe wordes of my teme, þus seynge: "I do
34þonkes to my Lorde God," as I seid at þe begynnynge.
35    In þis worthy prayere of þe Pater Noster ben vij
36asshyngus, þe wiche iij firste perteynen to þe þre persons

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37in Trynite and oo God. Þe fyrste longeþ to þe Fadur
38of heven, to whom is apropred all þe powre in heven and
39in erthe, as þe gospell wittenes; and þat prayour is þis:
40"Fadere oure, þou arte in heven, blessed be þi name."
41Þe seconde ashynge longeþ to þe Sonne, þe seconde
42person in þe Trinite, oure Lorde Ihesu Criste, to whom
43all wisdome is apropred, as Seynt Poule seþ, Romanos,
4413^o; and it is þis: "Ti kyngedom com to þe." The
45þride askynge perteneþ to be þrid persone of þe Trynyte,
46þe Holygoste, to whom is apropred loue and charite,
47as Seynt Iohn seþ: "Deus caritas est;" and it is þis:
48"Be þi will don in erthe as itt is in heven." And þe
49oþur foure askynges perteneþ to þe helpe of mankynde
50both bodely and goostely. Þe firste of þe foure is þis:
51"Oure euery dayes brede ȝeue vs to-daye." The
52second is, "And for-ȝeue vs oure dettys as we forȝeue
53oure dettours." The þride is, "And lede vs not in-to
54temptacion." The fourte and þe laste is þis: "But
55delyuer vs from euyll. Amen."
56    In þis prayour is conteyned more witt þan anny
57erthly man can tell, and þer-fore I concell you þat ȝe
58loue to vse þis prayour a-boven all prayours.
59    In þe firste askynge, when þat þou seyste, "Fader
60oure, þat arte in heven, blessed be þi name" - in þat
61þat þou calleste hym fader, þer þou knalachesse þat he
62is maker and lorde of heven and of erthe and hell and
63gouernour of all creatures, of whom all goodenesse comes;
64and þus þou knalages is myȝthe. And seþ þat he is
65lorde and fadere, euery man oweþ hym drede and
66loue: drede by-cause þat he is lorde, and worshippe
67be-cause þat he is fader.
68    These vij asskyngys of þe Pater Noster putteþ owte þe
69vij dedely synnes and purchaseþ þe vij ȝeftes of þe Holygooste.
70We excludon pride when we sey "oure Fadur"
71and not "myn." Þis worde seyþ þat we ben all bretheren,
72grett and small, ryche and poure , hyȝ and lawe, of oon
73fader and oo moder, þat is God and holychurche. And
74in þat we seyn, "Halowed be þi name," we halowon God
75in vs, as Seynt John Crisostom seyþ. When we þenke
76on hym, we dredon hym and wakon besely leste we

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77defowle þe holynesse of is name in vs by oure euell
78werkes.
79    In þe seconde asshynge, when we seye, "Com to þe
80þi kyngedom," we prayon þat þis kyngedom of þis
81world, of þe wiche þou arte kynge þat bowȝtest vs on þe
82Crosse by þi precious blode, mott com and be with
83þe in þe ioye of hevene.
84    The þrid is þis: "Be þi will done in erthe as in heven."
85Here we prayon God þat is will be do here in erthe amonge
86synfull mene þorow amendynge of her liffe as itt is don
87in ryghtwys men, þe wiche is heven goostely. Þan þis
88is a good preyour.
89    The fourte asshynge is, "Oure euery dayes brede
90ȝeue vs to-daye." Seynt Austyne seyþ þat þis iche
91dayes brede may be takon for nedefull lyvelod of oure
92bodye, and also for þe Sacrament of Cristes bodye, and
93for goostely mete of þe sowle, þe wiche is Goddes worde.
94    The v asshynge is þis: "And for-ȝeue vs oure dettys
95as we for-ȝeue to oure dettoures." Þan by þis witty
96techynge of oure Lorde Ihesu Criste, malicious and
97veniabull wreches may well knowon þat þei be in þe
98veye to-hell-warde as longe as þe dwell in here cursed
99malice. For by þese dettys ben vndirstond synnes þat
100we don aȝeyns God, as Seynt Austyne and oþure seyntes
101seyon. Ȝiff þou be in evyll to þi neyȝbore, how seyþ
102þou þan þi Pater Noster? Þou preyest God ryght so to
103forȝeue þe as þou doste to oþure men. Þou wilte not
104forȝeue; how mayste þou þan be forȝeue of God?
105    The vj asshynge is þis, þat þou lede not vs in-to
106temptacion. We prayon not here þat we be not tempted,
107for no man may be proved with-owt temptacion; but
108we praye þat God lede vs not in-to temptacion - þat
109is, þat he suffre not vs to falle in suche temptacions þe
110wiche we may not suffre.
111    The vij asshynge is þis, and þe laste: "But delyvere
112vs from all evyll. Amen." In þis we praye God to
113delyvere vs from euyll of peyne þat we deserue þorowe
114synne presente in þis liffe and fro euyll of peyne aftur
115þis lyffe þat men shall haue for synne.

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116    Þis prayore euery Cristen man is bondon to conne, and
117to preye to God by þis preyour, and do as Seynt Poule
118dothe by þe wordes of my teme: "I do þonkes to my
119Lord God." Þis prayoure is euery man and childe hold
120to kunne ȝif he passe vij ȝere olde; and þere frendes be
121in grett perill ȝeff hei teche hem nott is Pater Noster,
122Aue Maria, and is Beleue.
123    This Aue Maria is in þe i chapter of Luke, and is þis
124in Englisshe to youre vndirstondynge: "Haill, Marye,
125full of grace; oure Lorde is with þe. Blessed be þou
126a-monge all wymmen; and blessed be þe fruyte of þi
127wombe, Ihesus. Amen." By þis preyoure þou shuldeste
128grett Oure Lady, þat she be goode mene to hure
129Sonne Criste Ihesu to haue mercy on þe þat þou myȝthe
130at Domes-day com to þat ioye þat euer shall laste. To
131þe wiche ioye God brynge you and me, þat for vs
132dyed on Rode Tre. Amen.
133
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136    Worshippfull men and wymmen, þe worthye clerke
137Aristotle in þe laste boke of is Ethicus seyþ þat þere is
138þre manere of frenshippes: amicicia propter vtile,
139amicicia pro voluptate, et amicicia propter bonum morale .
140Som man, seyþ he, is a frende to an oþur for is owne
141avauntage, as courteours and seruuauntes, þat dare in
142no wise displese here maisters oþur lord; and þis
143frenshippe is nowȝthe. The second maner of frenshippe
144is frenshippe of luste, as lecherous men oþur wymmen
145vsen for a tyme; but als-so sone as þe luste is fulfillid,
146þan þe frenshippe is gone. The þrid maner of frenshippe
147is frenshippe of wertewe, þe wiche þat on hathe to an
148oþure for is good lyvynge and vertuous; þis is a verry
149frenshippe þat holy writte spekeþ of, " Iam non dico
150vos seruos, sed amicos ." In þis wyze bene all good
151levers called þe frendes of God.
152    As to my purpose, oure Lord God, as þe gospell of þis
153daye beres wittenesse by þe wordes of my teme, calleþ
154an evill levere is frende, seyinge to hym on þis wyze,
155"Frende, howe commeste þou hydure?" As who seþ,
156"All-be-itt þat þou arte man, ȝitt parauntur þou arte
157not cristened; and ȝiff þou be cristeynd, ȝitt parauntur
158þou leueste not as Criste biddeste þe. How
159commes þou þan amonge is mene?" Þou canste not
160sey but by stalthe. And þer-fore drede þou leste he do
161commaunde to bynde þe honde and fote and putt þe
162in-to þe innere derkenesse. "But sir," þou seiste
163parauntur, "Criste calleþ þe frend and þer-fore he will
164do well with þe and shewe þe of is mercye." Ȝe sir,
165trewly þou arte frende to hyme ȝiff þou leue synne and
166euyll levynge and loue in good wyze for þin own
167avauntage; for þis is good for þin soule. For þer is no
168frenshippe good but þat þat is grownded of vertewe.
169And as to þat, þat þou seist þat he will do mercy, so he
170will. Wheþure-euer þou be saued or dampned, þou

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171shalte fele of is mercye; for and þou had rygoressnes of
172ryght with-owte mercy, þan þou myȝthe neuer bere itt,
173as all holywritt seiþ. I pray God to lat vs neuer com
174to þat plite.
175    In þe begynnynge, et cetera.
176    "Amice," et supra.
177    Good men and wymmen, þe wordes of my teme bethe
178writte in þe gospell of þis daye and þus muche on
179Englissh: "Frende, how commest þou here, or hydere?"
180    Oure Lorde God seys to vs þat þe kyngedome of heven
181is like to a kynge þat made veddynggus to is sonne. Þis
182kynge sente oute is seruauntes to bid hem þat were bede
183com to þe feste; and þei wolde nott come. Þan þis
184kynge sende oþur seruauntes to bid hem come, and bad
185þat þei shuld sey, "My mete is redye and all well;
186comeþ to þe weddyngus." Þei sett noȝth by þe
187messangeres; butt som ȝede forthe in-to here towne,
188som abowte here marchandize, and some toke þe
189messangeres and slowȝ hem. Þan when þe kynge
190herde here-of he lete slee þise men and brent hure citte.
191And þan he seide to is owne seruauntes, "My weddynggus
192ben redie, butt þei þat were bede were not worthye.
193Goyþ ȝe owte in-to þe weye; and qwom-euer þat ȝe
194fynde, calleþ hem to my weddynggus." Þan þese
195seruauntes feched in bothe good and euyll and filled þe
196place of þe tables. Þan þis kynge com and see þe men
197sittynge at þe mete and fonde oon þat was not clothed
198of is weddynge leuere and seid to hym to wordes of my
199teme, "Frende, how comeste þou in here - oþur hidur -
200and haste no leueree of my weddynggus?" Þan seid
201þe kynge farþurmore to þe seruauntes, "Byndeþ hym
202honde and fote and put hym in-to innere derkenes, þer-as
203is wepynge and gryntynge of teþe. Many ben called,
204butt fewe ben choson." Þis is þe sentence of þe gospell
205in þis daye.
206    "But sir," þou seiste parauntur, "how is þis kyngedome
207of heven like þis kynge?" Sir, I shall tell þe.
208Þis kynge þat made weddynggus to is sonne betokeneþ
209þe Fadere of heuen, þat all þinge made of noȝthe. He

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210made a weddynge to is Sonne, oure Lorde Ihesu Criste,
211and weddit he was to euery mans soule at is folewte.
212He send is seruauntes to bid men com to þe feste -
213apostles, martirs, confessours, and virgyns - to þe feste
214in þe kyngedome of heven; but þei wold not come. He
215send oþur messangers to bid men come to heven, as
216doctours and prechors of þe word of God, as þei do now
217daye by daye, but ȝe sett not by hem, þe more harme is.
218Som goyn to youre citte, þat is, to youre vnclene felishippe,
219as to þe taueron and to oþur vnhoneste place;
220som to youre vnþrifty marchandize, full of vsure, okre,
221and oþur falsenes; som takon is prechors and punyssh
222hem vn-to þe dethe. But what shall þe kynge do þere-to?
223Þis Kynge of kynges, certeyn, sir, as Criste hym-selfe
224seid, he shall lat slee hem and brenne þe cite of hem.
225Farþurmore þis Kynge shall sende oute is techars and
226prechars and bid hem come to is feste, all þat þei fynden,
227bothe good and euyll. But be-ware, I counsell þe, þat
228þou come not to þe feste, þat is, to þe Dome dredefull,
229but þou haue oon þe leveree of clennes of þat weddynge,
230leste þat oure Lorde Ihesu when þat he commeþ to behold
231þe, repreue þe, and ordeyne þe to be putt in-to
232euery lastynge peyne for þin evill lyvynge, seyinge on
233þis wyze, "Frende, how commeþ þou hydur?" as I
234seid at þe begynnynge. In þis wyze, þan, as I haue
235told þe, þe kyngedome of heven is like to a kynge þat
236ordeynt weddynggus to is sonne.
237    Sirs, I counsell all maner of men fully to þenke on þis
238Dome, for Seynt Ierome seiþ wheþur þat he ete, drynke,
239or slepe, or what-euer els þat he dothe, it semeþ hym,
240seiþ he, þat þe angels trompe sowneþ in is eere seyinge
241þus, "Ryse, ȝe dede men, and com to þe Dome." I
242concell and I preye euerichon of you to conceyue and
243knowe þat oure Lorde God at þe Day of Dome shall
244shewe ryght with-oute mercye, full rygorysly, full
245sturnely, and aske of vs howe þat we haue spende þe
246vij verkes of mercy, as þe gospell wittenes. But for-as-muche
247as euery man and wymman shall ȝeue a-countes
248of þe vij werkes of mercye, þer-fore I purpose fully to

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249teche you wiche ben þe vij verkes of bodely mercye and
250of goostely, bothe.
251    The vij verkes of bodely mercy ben þese: fede þe
252hongery, ȝeue drynke to þe þursty, clothe þe naked and
253nedye, herbowre þe howslesse, comforte þe seke, visite
254prisoners, and bury þe dede. Þese vij verkes þou arte
255bondon to fulfill by verke and dede ȝiff þi powere be,
256or els by þi good will ȝiff þi powere faill, in payne of
257euer lastynge dampnacion ȝiff þou repente not. For of
258þese werkes of mercy Criste shall speke inspeciall of at
259þe Day of Dome. I praye eueriche of you to haue þis
260in mynde.
261    And þe vij verkys of goostely mercy ben þese: teche
262men þe trouthe, howe þei shuld com to heven; the
263seconde, counsell men besely to hold with Cristes lawe;
264the þride, chastyse synners by moderate reprevynge in
265charite; the iv , comforte sorowfull men with Cristes
266passion; the v, forȝeue wronges done to þi-selfe, as þou
267wolte be forȝeue of God; the vj, suffre mekely
268repreves for þe ryght of Goddes lawe; the vij, preye
269hertely for frend and for foo. Þese verkes ben of goostely
270mercye, þe wiche also þou arte bond to knowe and to
271fulfill hem in dede; for and þou volte þenke hertely of
272þe dredefull Dome, þan þou shulteste euer be besye with
273þouȝth, worde, and dede to plese God and to fulfill þise
274verkes of mercye, as þou wolte þat God haue mercye on
275þe.
276    And þan ȝiff God assh þe at þe Day of Dome, "Frende,
277howe entereste þou hidre?" þan þou maiste seye,
278"Lorde, I haue on þi leueree and I am þi man, and as
279þi man I entred; where-fore I preye þe, late me reioyse
280þe kyngedome of heven, þat þou haste ordeynt for þi
281seruauntes." To þe wiche ioye and infinite blisse
282brynge vs oure swete Lorde Ihesus. Amen.
283
284
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286    This glorious Ladie with all hur vertewes and preuilegees
287as þis day was taken vp in soule aboven þe hiest
288ordere of angels - and in bodie also, as Seynt Austyn and
289Anselme haue þer oppinions; and Ierom in ys pistell
290fauors þe same: "Exaltata est sancta Dei genitrix," et
291cetera - where she besely prayeþ þat we may sewe hure
292in lyvynge. Þan seþ she is of all seyntes þe cheff pure
293creature, as holychurche seyþ of hur ad mores, sanctorum
294sancta , þer-fore we shuld besi vs to be hure folovers, and
295so to be seyntes here and aftur in heven.
296    But here what Dauid þe prophete seys, þat oure
297seyntes ben goyn avey: " Saluum me fac, Domine,
298quoniam defecit sanctus - good Lord, seyþ he, make vs
299saue, for seyntes þer is none as þer were." I sey more
300pleynly þus: I knowe well no man shall be saued but
301ȝiff þat he ende is liff as a seynt, sine peccato mortali,

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302Mathei 25^to capitulo . But how þe multitudo of þe
303peple lyviþ and endeþ when þat þei die, wheþur þei die as
304seyntes or non I wot neuer, Lord, noþur I will not ȝeue
305iugement vppon þi previe dome. But as by mans dome
306and as it semeþ by reson, I shall afferme þat ȝiff þis
307world be an enterludie, as doctors ymagynne, I wote
308neuer who shall pley þe seynte in oure enterludie. For in
309comparison þat it was som tyme, vertewes morall ben
310goyn. Feyȝth, hope, and charite be welnyȝ exiled, and
311sewerly with-owte þise vertewes may be no seynt in þis
312liff.
313    Haa, good Lord God, where is þe feyȝth of Abraam,
314þe good hope of Ysaak, þe prudens of Iacob? Where is
315þe chastite of Ioseph, the paciens of Moyses, þe gret
316zele of Finees, of all þe wiche scripture rememburs,
317Genesis, Exodi, Numerorum diuersis capitulis ? Where is
318be-com þe sadenes of Sent Petre, þe charite of Seynt
319Poule, þe holynes of Iacob, oure Lordes broþur, and þe
320heuenly wisdom of Seynt Iohn þe Euaungelist, of þe
321wiche scripture wittenes Actuum diuersis capitulis,
322Iohanis primo ?
323    And ȝiff þat we shall speke of latter men and of lowe
324degre, where is suche on as Paule, þe first heremite,
325dwellyng sole in þe inmaste of wildernes in a cote, where
326fourty wynter God send hym by a ravyn brede to
327lyve by dayly, and whan þat he was ded wild lions made
328is pitt and buried at þe commaundement of Seynt
329Antonij, as Seynt Ierom wryteþ in Vitis Patrum ? Where
330is now suche a seynt as Seynt Benet was amonge all þe
331enhabite monasteries - inter senobitas ? Is liff was
332angelike, þe wiche withstode terraundes and devels with
333is holy worde, to whom sprites obeied as to þer maister,
334as Seynt Gregory techeþ, 2^o Dialogorum ? Where is
335þe gret douocion of Seynt Barnard be-com in all is
336seculere diligence, þe wiche wrote full wondirfull myracles,
337lyvyng so far-forth þat all þat were vexed with devels he

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338heled hem at is commaundement, as Ianuensis writeþ
339in ys lif?
340    Now ȝiff þat we shuld speke of holines in prelacie,
341where is suche a fadur now as was Seynt Basile, bishop
342of Cesare in Capodocia? Þis man was þe distroer of
343þe heretikes, Arrianus. When þat he shuld die,
344a leche þat was a Iewe told hym þe tyme when
345þat he shuld die and þe day. "What," quod he, "and I
346may live till to-morow?" "I woll be-com a Cristen
347man." And so by myracle hes liff was lenghed vn-to þat
348he was cristened. Þus writeþ of hym Amphilotus,
349Yconie episcopus, in historia sua . Where is suche
350accepte auctorite in anny prelate as was in Gregore
351Nazanzene, whos doctrine and writynge was suche þat
352þer was neuer man aȝeyn-seid hym into oure tyme, as
353Seynt Thomas writeþ, prima parte Summe, questione
35461, articulo 3^O, in pede ? Where is þe mekenes and
355wisdom be-com of Seynt Gregore, doctour and pope,
356as is verke vppon Iob wittenes, þe wiche is so gret þat
357þoȝ all þe principall partes of man were turned on-to
358tounges, ȝit man myght not declare is wisdom and
359holynes, as Isedere writeþ, De Viris Illustribus, de
360Gregorio agens ?
361    Ȝiff we shuld suche aftur holynes amonge gentilmen
362of wurshipp, it is not as it was. Where is now so wertewous
363a ientilman as was Iob, kynge of Edom, clere in
364feyȝthe, excellent in mekenes, a nobull housholdere,
365ease to be tauȝth, large in almes, riche in money, plentewous
366in children? But sodenly is children were slayn,
367þe dewell sore tempted hym and is wiff also and is
368frendes; and neuer gruched aȝens God, as Ysidore sais,
369De Ortu et Obitu Patrum . Where is now so gret loue,
370zele, and fauour vn-to men of holy churche and to þe
371pepull as had þe gret emperour Constantyne, þe wiche
372chose raþur all is liff tyme to be smytte with a lepre þan
373he wold suffure þe innocentes blod to be shed to saue
374hym as by bathes, as þe Cronicle of Rome telleþ vs?

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375Where is þat very iust man and emperour Egrite
376Traiane, þe wiche demed is own sonne and is eyre to be
377ded for þat he necligently had ouer-riden a widow
378sonne, as Gregore techeþ vs in is bokes Regestre?
379    Lo, þan, I se well ȝiff þat I be not begiled þat in men
380of holychurche, noþure in gentilmen, noþur in þe comon
381peple, but þe old holines is goyn from hem. Where-fore
382I may sey as me semeth after þe old maner, þat þer is no
383man able to pley on oure seynt: " Saluum me fac,
384Domine, quoniam defecit sanctus ."
385    Parauntur it is replied aȝeyns me þat þer be many
386holy men, al-be-it þei com not to þe holynes of oure
387old holy faders. I answere as Seynt Barnard seith,
388sermone 33 super Cantico , vndirstondyng is language as
389for þe more parte: " Serpit hodie putrida tabes per
390omne corpus ecclesie - fowle stynkynge mater of synne
391groweþ now thorowe-owte all Cristendom. Qwere-of
392Y dispeyre þe more for he groweþ full large. Som tyme
393þe prophett spake þer-of and now it is fulfilled, þat
394holychurche compleyneþ of: 'Ecce in pace amaritudo
395mea amarissima,' Ysaie 38 capitulo - 'O feyȝthe in holy
396churche, my most bitter bitturnes is in my pece.' I had
397a grett bitturnes in dethe of my marters, I had a grettur
398bitturnes in doctrine of heritikes, but now haue I my
399most bittur bitturnes in þe horribull synnes of feyȝthfull
400pepull, whi þei may not be chastised, þei may not be
401dryven a-vey, wicked men be so many and multipled
402owte of nowmbur. This veniaunce is perishyng myn
403herte withowte hope of hele. Intestina est et insanabilis
404plaga. And þerfore of all my bitturnes þis is þe gretest
405in pees. But qwhat pes is þis to þe churche?" Seys
406Seynt Barnard, " Et pax est et non est pax - þer is
407pece," seys he, "in a maner, and ȝitt itt is no pes. Þer
408is pes for ethen men, þer is pes for heretikes, but trewly
409þer is no pes aȝens synnefull lyvyng in all degrees
410temperall and spirituall of Cristes churche. Loo, whatt
411oure modur holychurche compleyneþ aȝens vs: 'Filios

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412enutriui et exaltaui; ipsi autem spreuerunt me,' Ysaie
413primo capitulo . 'I haue,' seys she, 'norished many a
414Cristen man and woman and made must of hem, and
415þei sett ryght noȝthe by me: spreuerunt et maculauerunt
416me,' et cetera . 'Þei sett not by me,' seys oure modur
417holychurche, 'but þe defoule me with þer foule lyvyng þat
418is full abhomynable,'" inquid Barnardus in diebus suis .
419    Seþ, þan, holichurche compleyneþ þus in Seynt
420Barnardes daies, she may now dredeles compleyne much
421more, for fro is tyme hidirward þe liff of þe Cristen pepull
422haþ ben euer wars and wars, as well in þe spirituallte as
423in þe temperalte. For sicurly vertew is cast avey and
424man is fallyn in-to þe filthe of stynkyng synne. Haa,
425good God, now mercy, for our synnes beth not vnpunyshed.
426Lo, sirs, I sey itt with sorefull hert, scismus and diuisions
427haue now reyned in oure daies amonge men of holychurche,
428þat welnyȝ holychurche standes in desolacionem : "Per
429que peccat quis, per hec et torquetur," Sapiencie 2
430capitulo; þat for-asmuche as we will not be ooned to God
431be charite, þer-fore we beþ dissevered amonge oure-self.
432Oure gentils also of all degrees beþ greuously punyshed,
433for batels beþ reysed welnyȝ in euery lond, Cristend
434Shedyng of Cristen blode continually, gret and huge.
435And to sey shortely, welnyȝ in euery coost of þe marches
436Cristen mens lordeshippes decresses and goys downeward,
437and þe lordeshippes of hethen men groweþ vpward and
438in-creseþ; for seuerly oure Cristen prynces with-in þis xl
439ȝere and lasse haþ lost more þan þe þirde parte of
440Cristendom. Lo, þer peyn answeres to þer synnes. For
441lik as oure princes and lordes spoyleth and robbeþ þer
442suggettus and doþ daily, euen so God suffreþ þe ethen
443princes to robb and spoile oure lordes and princes, euen
444as þei do to oþur: "In qua mensura qua mensi fueritis,
445remicietur vobis," Mathei 7 capitulo . The common
446pepull for þer synnes and vnthrifty lyvyng and euell will
447to holychurche and to þer lordes, þei ben oppressed, þei
448ben robbed, þei be mad pore welnyȝ in euery lond of
449Cristendom so far-forthe sewerly þat itt heuys hem to

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450lyve. Siþ, þan, euery charite begynneþ of hym-selfe,
451and I see so gret perils and by synne vertews distruccion,
452þer-for I pray as þe prophete dud, "Lord, make me sauf,
453for þe seyntus ben gon - saluum me fac, Domine, quoniam
454defecit sanctus ." And þus much for oure first principall
455and þe second to-geþure.
456    I seid also oure þirde and fourth principall, now
457steryng, now shewynge by experience of vertewe, how
458þat Oure Ladie was all-wey desirous to holines. She
459is full gracious and full of compassion to all Cristen
460pepull. For declaracion of þis wryteþ Seynt Ierom in
461a pistell, and Bonaventure reherseþ it also, De Vita
462Cristi , þat þis blessed and glorious Ladie afore þat she
463had conceyved oure Lord, euery nyȝthe aftur mydnyȝtht
464she was besy in prayour. She ashed and praied of þe
465Fadur of heuen vij peticions, of þe wich too I will
466reherse vn-to you. On was þat she myȝthe loue alvey
467þat God loued and non oþur þinge: Psalmo 17, "Diligam
468te, Domine, fortitudo mea." Þe oþur was þat God wold
469ȝeue hur þat grace, to hur þat was þe modur of God to
470do euer plesaund seruyse to God. Loo, þis good Ladies
471peticion sowned alvey vn-to charite, loue, and grace.
472"Quia plenitudo legis est dileccio operis," Romanos, 13^mo
473capitulo. And so dud hur oþur peticiens, þe wiche I leue
474ouer. And þer-fore þe Fadur of heven herd hur prayour
475and graunted hur more grace þan she prayed fore.
476    Inspeciall for þat she of mekenes coveted to be
477seruaunte to Goddes modur, þer-for God chose hure to be
478is modur, "Quia respexit humilitatem ancille sue,"
479Luce primo, and send to hur þe archangell Gabriell vn is
480ambassate, to þat entent þat suche þinges by hur, a
481woman, shuld reflorish þat by þe first woman was
482brouȝthe to desolacion, Genesis 3 capitulo .
483    For sicurly it was a comon repref to all women þat
484by on of hem all mankynd was lost and non of hem
485myȝthe helpe to restore it aȝeyn, so far-forth þat all þe
486elementes and all oþur beestes and briddes semed per
487prosopopeiam crie vppon a womman, as Petrus Rauennas

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488ymagineþ, sermone Gregorii , seynge þus, " Redde
489depositum, mulier, redde depositum Dei quod in Paradiso
490perdidisti; redde ex te quod perdidisti per te ." Þis
491rebuke of oþur creatures dyvers devoute women bare
492heuely, praying for hem-self to God to take from hem
493þis comon reprefe or suffur hem els no lenger to liff,
494vnde applicatur illud: "Ad te, Domine, faciem meam
495conuerto ; ad te oculos meos erigo . Peto, Domine, ut
496de vinculo improperij huius absoluas me, aut certe
497desuper terram eripias me," Tobie 3.
498    But of all þise women þer was non hard vn-to Oure
499Ladie was borne, whom holychurche wurshippes þis day.
500Bot þis Ladie so pleyzed all-myghty God, þe Fadur of
501heuen, þat he send downe is angell vn-to hure to haue
502þis reprefe holpon: Malachie 3, "Ecce ego mitto
503angelum meum, qui preparabit viam ante faciem meam,"
504id est, ante filium meum .
505    And as it may be taken of Seynt Austyn, primo
506sermone de Anunciacione Dominica, whan Gabriel had
507knalage þat he was choson to do is message, he com
508in-to þe presence of þe Fadur of heven and with all
509mekenes a-fore is most soueryn maieste, he seid on þis
510wise: "Fadur and Lord of euery heuenly and erthly
511creature, to þe is all þinge knowon (Iudith 9^no ). Þou
512knowist verely þe hiȝ prudence of þis nobull virgyn and
513also hur sadnes in soule. Þou knowist also, gracious
514Lord, þis message þat þou commaundes me to execute.
515It is a werke of gret prevete, keuered in derke seynges of
516prophetes of old tyme. By hure þe dewell is putt in
517gret drede. So þan when þat I sey my message I shall
518besy me to encline þis blessed Ladies will vn-to my
519porpose and to shewe hur þin signet, þe wiche bothe
520man and angels ben marked with. ('Signatum est super
521nos lumen vultus tui, Domine,' Psalmo 4^to). And
522namely in so hiȝ a matur of substaunce she parauntur
523will not anone ȝeue credence to my wordes but raþur
524suppose me no trewe messanger of so worthy astate.
525Where-fore ȝiff itt like to thy most gracious lordshipp

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526me to do þis message, I beseche þe, chef soueraygne
527Lord, graunte me þi signet, where-of when þat she haþ
528knalage þer-of, þat she may applie hur will to þi godly
529purpose."
530    The Fadur of heven answerd Gabriell, "Þi prayour
531is resonable, and it shall not be denyed þe. Þou knawiþ
532well, Gabriell, þat my signet is my speciall grace, þe
533wiche I marke with my choson children fro þo þat be
534repreved. And it may well be called my signett, for
535itt is so secrete þat þer wote no man lyvynge withowte
536reuelacion wheþur þat he be signett þer-with or no.
537( 'Nescit homo vtrum amore an odio dignus scit,'
538Ecclesiastes 9^no - 'þer knowiþ no man withowte
539reuelacion wheþur þat he be marked with þe signett
540of grace or no' - predestinatus .) But when þou commest
541vn-to þis maiden, in hur þou shalt se my signet of grace.
542Þou seist it neuer so plentevows in no creature. When
543þou commest to hur, gret hur well by þe token of my
544speciall grace, and þan she will resceyve þe as she owȝth
545to do my messanger."
546    Anone þan þis archangell was in þe cite of Nazareth
547and he fownd þer þis virgyn, not walkynge abowte in
548þe stretis but in hure deuocions in hur chambur, besily
549prayinge to all-mygthy God, "intra cubiculum orante,"
550Matheo . He shewed hur þis signet, seying on þis wize,
551" Aue, gracia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in
552mulieribus - hail, full of grace, oure Lord is with þe;
553blessed be þou abowen all wommen." And with þise
554wordes he persceyved anon þat she was wondur specially
555merked with þe signet of oure Lordis grace.
556    This blessed maiden with all reuerence and honour
557tretid þis blessed Lordis signet, in þe wiche signet ben
558graven succession of dyuers ȝeres, þe meritis of angels
559and man, the begynnyng and þe contynuaunce and

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560þe ende of all ryghtwisse pepull. And þer-fore she
561toke avisement afore hur answere, somwhat trowbeled of
562so speciall a gretyng; but ȝitt she had spokon and seen
563aungels afore, as Seynt Barnard seis vppon " Missus est ."
564    But þe language of þe aungell was soleyn and gracius
565when þat he seid þat she was full of grace and blissed hur
566abowon all women. Þis aungell as a wize messaunger
567see þat she was somdell trowbled, and þer-fore he spake
568to hure more famyliarly, callyng hur by hur name,
569seying on þis wise: " Ne timeas, Maria; inuenisti
570enim graciam apud Deum - drede þe not, maide Mari,
571for þou hast fownden grace aneyns almyȝthy God." As
572hoo seiþ. "Þou arte gracious of þi-selfe and also shall
573be to all Cristen pepull. Þat shewe I þus: first, þou
574shalte consceyve with-owten fleshly concupiscence and
575brynge forthe a Sonne ( ibi Luce primo .) Þe cause
576here-of is non oþur bote þou arte gracious in þi-self
577and shall be to all Cristen peple. But Ladi, þis Sonne
578þat þou shalte haue shall not be litill of valowe, but þe
579naturall Sonne of allmyȝthy God ('Filius Altissimi
580vocabitur') . What may be cause of þis? Sicurly, for
581þou art gracious to þi-selfe and shall be to all Cristen
582pepull. Farþermare, Ladie, parauntur þou ashes of þe
583maner here-of, how God will haue itt don seþ þou art
584purposed euer to be a mayde ('Quo modo fiet istud?'
585et cetera) . I sey þe Holygoost shall liȝthe vppon þe
586and by is infenite vertewe þis werke shall be endid."
587    Þis good Ladie, heryng þis message, assentid vn-to þe
588will of God and in þe most lowly wize answerd. For
589þer-as þe aungell called hure þe modur of God, she
590calleþ hure-self Goddes lowly seruaunt, seying, "Ecce
591ancilla Domini; fiat mihi secundum uerbum tuum" - ibi
592Luce primo .
593    I may þan perfitely conclude by hur wordes and þe
594aungels also þat þis Ladie alwey is desirous to holynes
595and is gracious and full of compassion vn-to all Cristen
596pepull, þe wiche is for oure third and fourte principall.
597    She, þan, þat was so gracious in hur liff here, is muche

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598more gracious nowe þat she is in heven. For þer
599charite euer encreseþ, and þer she is oure aduocate, and
600specially to hure choson seruauntes, as Seynt Anselme
601declareþ full swetly in is boke De Excellentissima
602Virgine .
603    And also þe story - est et cronicus - of Seynt Basilie
604and of Iulianus, þe emperour and renegate, telleþ of
605hur grace wondirly, and on þis wize: Þis cursed emperour
606Iulian, þe wiche som tyme was a Cristen man and ȝede
607avey from is feiȝthe and becom an ethen man, and lad
608is ost on a tyme by þe citte of Cesare, where Seynt
609Basilie was þo bishopp. And for þinges þat greved hym,
610þis emperour avowed when þat he com homward fro
611Perse þat he wold distrow þat cite and all þe Cristen men
612þer-in. Þan was þis holy bishopp sory and praied God
613of grace and Oure Ladie with all is deuocions to helpe
614þat Cristen cite. Houre Ladie forȝate hym not, but
615graciously herd is prayoure and anon send downe an
616aungell and reysed a ded knyȝthe called Sir Mercury,
617þe wiche was don to dethe by þis cursed Iulian. Þe
618aungell armed hym and brouȝth hym an hors and seid
619vn-to hym þat he shuld on Goddis by-half and at Our
620Ladies commaundement, þat he shuld ride in-to Persie
621and sle þis terraunt, Goddes enmy. And so he dud.
622And when þis cursed emperour conceyved hym-self
623þus wonded to dethe, anon he ȝelded vp is parte and
624is opinion, and cast is blode in-to þe eyre and cried vn-to
625oure Lord with lowde voyse, " Vicisti, Galilee, vicisti -
626þou, Ihesu of Galilee, þou hast ouercome me." And þus
627þe dampned wreche diȝed in bodie and soule. Lo,
628how þis Ladie hard þis holy mans prayour and helped þe
629Cristen pepull.
630    And ȝiff þou be a gret synner and drede þe þat she
631will not here þi prayoure for þi synne, þan pray þou with
632þe most synnefull man Theophile, þe wiche þat forsoke
633God vponly afore þe dewell, and wrote is forsakyng and
634sealed it with is own seall, and tok it þe dewell is own
635person and becam is man. But afturward he sore

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636repented hym and fled vn-to Oure Ladye for helpe. And
637aftur fourty daies penauns Oure Ladie apered vn-to hym
638and blamed hym sore for is synne, but ȝitt she gat hym
639forȝeuenes, and brouȝthe aȝeyn from þe dewell is writynge
640and is seall, and declared þat God had forȝeue hym and
641resceyved hym to grace. Þis is no fabull þat I sey ȝow.
642It is euery woke songe and rad in holychurch in remembrance
643of þe good Ladies kyndenes and grace.
644    We, þan, þat be not ryghtwis as Seynt Basile was,
645take we ensampull of Theophile þe synner and pray we
646with hym, knowynge mekely oure defawtes, seying þus
647to þis Lady þat is most gracious in plesaunce: "Most
648comly of persone and most holy in soule, þou Ladie
649choson afore all oþur, þou most holy and þou most
650worshippfull, most excellent in auctorite, þou most
651benigne, and oure mercyfull Ladie of truste, we beseche
652þe to helpe vs þat we may recovere and haue, here grace
653sufficient, and blisse eternall with þi Sonne, oure Lord
654Ihesu, þe wiche is perfite God, with þe Fadere and þe
655Holygoost, and with þe, oure speciall helpe and all
656Cristen pepuls."